Florida’s Wildest Counties

I was blown away by the amount of land some Florida counties hold in conservation for us – you, me, the public. Here are the Top 10 Wildest Counties based on the percentage of each county held in conservation according to the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI). I applaud these leading counties and extend a heartfelt thank you to all the agencies (Federal, State, County, City), NGOs and private landowners involved for preserving our natural areas.

#1 – Monroe County: Anchoring the southern tip of Florida, Monroe County is wild enough to be primal. Are you ready for this? An astounding 96% of this county is in conservation! 96%. 612,000 acres. Here are the major natural areas to be enjoyed here:

Monroe County, you have my utmost respect. And so do the rest of our Top 10 Wildest Counties. This includes all agencies (Federal, State, County, City), NGOs, and private landholders involved. Thank you.

PS – Readers, there are several counties with only 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% of their land in conservation, so the counties listed here have done a truly outstanding job of protecting natural areas for us. This land is your land. I encourage you to get out and enjoy it, lest it all slowly disappears from our lives. See our Where-to-Go and Bucket List for more great places to experience Florida’s Natural Wonders.